Motor vehicle



June 29, 1937. W, R, GRlswOLD 2,085,019

MOTOR VEHICLE Fued Jan. 17. 193e 2 sheets-sheet 1 Y .il I :L 251 r9, u .4

5 17 4157 262 .450 75 J4V j J6 J 5J J5 50 .zo 29 J z5 J Q Z Z5 4 JL .sa J3 Z v M11/TER f. if-115mm www June 29, 1937. w. R. GRlswoLD 2,085,019

MOTORv VEHICLE Filed Jan. 17, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L BMW/M ERIE/Wam am M4# is usually different and the gears to be meshed are Patented? June 29, 1937 MOTOR `VEHICLE Walter R. Griswold, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Packard Motor C ar Company,

Detroit, Mich.,

,f a corporation of Michigan Application January 17, 1936, Serial No. 59,528

` 12 Claims. This invention relates to transmission mechanism and more particularlyto the type of such mechanism employed with motor vehicles.

Driving mechanism for motor vehicles can be divided into two groups, one group including theordinarily' rotating' at'different pitch line velocities which must be equalized in establishing the drive. Considerable physical effort is required to mesh the gears selected to be so engaged and ping or breakage.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a transmission mechanism in which the above undesirable results are considerably reduced.

Another object of my invention is to providev a transmission mechanism with shiftable driving connection means which can be moved with minimum physical effort and in a manner'to distribute the shock load evenly around the parts-being meshed.

, undue strain upon the parts and withoutvcomplicated structure which includes constantly meshing gears. 1

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, ywhich form a. part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a transmission mechanism incorporating my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the same illustrating the shiftable clutch 'element in the rst part of its movement toward establishing a low forward driving connection.

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view showing the movable clutch element fully moved to establish a forward low speed driving connection. n

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Figs. 2 and casing carries a suitable (Cl. 'I4-333) 3 showing a modified form of clutch means and mounting therefor, the clutch being in effective relation.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a transmission illustrating a modified form of 5 clutch jdevice in a position while being moved to establish a reverse driving connection.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to that shown in Fig. 5 with the movable clutch device in fully adjusted position to establish a reverse driving 10 connection;

Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1 isshown a' motor vehicle 'transmission comprising a driven shaft III and a countershaft or gear spool II mounted in a casing I2. 'I'he front wall of the 15 bearing I3 in which is v mounted the enlarged end I4 of a driving shaft I5, which shaft may be the clutch shaft driven from thevehicle engine through conventional clutch mechanism (not shown).

ial recess for the reception'of a bearing I6, in which the reduced forward end I1 of the driven shaft is journaled. The re'ar end of the shaft II) is journaled in a bearing I8, supported in the 5 rear wa'll of the housing I2, and is connected in the usual way to the propeller shaft to drive the vehicle, this connection not being shown.

'Ihe countershaft II is in the form of a hollow spool, mounted to rotate on an arbor I9 support- 30 ed at its ends by the front and rear walls of the transmission casing, and this spool is formed with a'number of integral helical gears 2i, 22, 23, 24. Gear 2| is in constant mesh with gear 25, formed on the enlarged end of the driving shaft I5, so 5 that the countershaft II is continuously connected to and driven from the clutch shaft I5 in the well known manner. Gear 22 is continuously in mesh with a gear 26 mounted for rotation on bearing means 21 mounted on the driven shaft III.

To provide the second and high speed connections, the forward portion of the shaft III is provided with a clutch device which is slidably secured to the shaft between the gears and 26. This clutch device constitutes a splined hub porl tion 311, slidably mounted on splines on the driven shaft I 0 and rotatable therewith, a radial web portion 35 and a rim portion 36 which is provided with external splines or teeth 31. These teeth are adapted for connection either to clutch teeth 38, formed on the shaft end I 4 adjacent the gear 25, or to clutch teeth 39 formed on the body of gear 26, these clutch teeth 31, 38 and 39 being of the same` pitch. Clutch ring iI is slidably IlliillntecA on and surrounds the rim 36, and is The enlarged 20 vend I 4 of the clutch shaft is formed with an axformed with internal splines cooperating with the splines 31 which may engage teeth 38 when moved forwardly'of the transmission, and may engage the teeth 39 when moved rearwardly 5 thereof. To effect such sliding movement, the

clutch ring has a shifter fork 43 associated therewith, such fork being connected to a shifter rod 44 adapted to be operated by a conventional shift lever (not shown). It will be evident that when 39, the gear 26 is locked to the driving shaft, providing the second speed, and that when the teeth 38 are engaged with the clutch ring the shafts I0 and l5 are directly positively coupled, giving third speed which is direct drive.

To perform the clutching operation just described without shock or clash synchronizing mechanism is provided to bring the pairs of clutch teeth 31-38 or 31-39 to the same speed before positive engagement of the clutch ring 4I. For this purpose, the oppositely disposed inner edges of the rim portion 36 have conical brake or friction rings 42 associated therewith. The forwardv ring is arranged to contact a conical friction surface 43 on the rear end of the drive shaft I5 and the rear ring is arranged to contact a conical friction surface 44 on the body of gear 26 in advance ofthe teeth 39. Balls 4,5 are arranged in radial slots in the rim and web portions of the clutch device and are pressed outwardly by coil springs 46 to engage' the splines on the clutch ring 43. Thesering splines are formed with recesses 4'I aligning radially with and for receiving the balls to thereby provide a disconnectabl coupling between the clutch device and the clutch ring.

As shown in Fig..1, the clutch ring is in disengaged relation with the clutch teeth 38 and 39. Forward movement of the fork 43 will move both the clutch device and the clutch ring forwardly, as they are coupled by the balls in the recess 41, until the forward band'engages the friction surface 43. The shafts I0 and I5 are thus brought to the same speed and further forward A shifting of the clutch ring engages the splines on the clutch ring'with the clutch teeth`38, thereby forming a direct positive coupling between shafts I5 and I0. When second speed is desired l the clutch ring is shifted rearwardly from its 50 vneutral position shown in Fig. 1 until the frictionA ring ,42 engagesthe friction surface 44 on gear 26. The clutch ring and the gear 26 are brought to the same speed by this friction contact vand the ring is then further shifted until its splines mesh with the clutch teeth 39. This forms the second speed drivev which is effected from shaft I5 to shaft I0 through meshing gears 25 and 2I,

22 and 26, and the clutch device.

The transmission mechanism so far described is well known'i the art and with such mechanism a gear is slrlilined on the driven shaft and is axially shiftable to engage the low speed gear on the countershaft or the reverse idler to establish the low speed and reverse driving' connections. The shifting of such gear into.,mesh with the low speed gear and the reverse idler usually results in application of undesirable force, clashing and successive eorts when the countershaft and driven shaft are turning at different speeds, which is generally the case. I will now descrbe that part of the transmission incorporating my invention. Gears 23' and 24 constitute the low speed and -reverse gears re- MVV"-spectively,l and are adapted to drive a gear 2'8 which is rotatably mounted on shaft Il) and the clutch ring is in engagement with the teeth shiftable axially thereon. (.'iear 28 is directly eng'ageable with gear 23 or it may be shifted to meshwith a 'reverse idler gear 29 in the Well known manner, the idler being in constant mesh With gear 24. is effected by means of a shifter fork 30 which engages in a groove 3I in the gear body, this fork being actuated by a shifter rod 32 slidably mounted in suitable bearings in the upper part of the transmission casing. The shifter rod is selectively engageable for actuation by the `hand shifter lever (not shown).

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, two sets of helical clutch teeth 50 and 5I are formed on the shaft I0, and the gear 28 is formed with interior helical splines 52 for vengaging eith'er set of these clutch teeth. As thegear 28 must be moved across the teeth 5I for assembly with or disassembly from the shaft ID, a split floating bushing 53 is arranged between gear 28 and the -shaft and isrormed with hencai exterior splines 54 meshing with splines 52. This bushing lies intermediate'the teeth 58 and 5I and ycan be of desired length. The 'gear 28-and its bushing are axially shiftable and rotatably mounted on shaft IIJ, the bushing being shiftable axially more or less distance depending upon its length. l

As shown in Fig. l, the gear 28 is in neutral or non-driving position. When it is vdesired to drive shaft I0 from shaft I5 at low speed,'gear 28 is shifted forwardly into engagement with gear 23, as shown in Fig. 2, andas forward shifting The axial shifting of gearA 28 of the gear continues splines 52 engage with lclutch teeth 50 on shaftl as shown in Fig. 3. -To drive the shaft' I0 in reverse from shaft I5, gear 28 is shifted rearwardly to engage( idler 29 and while being rotated thereby, further rearward shifting will engage splines 52 with clutch teeth 5I.

The gears on the drive shaft, the countershaft and the gears in constant mesh with the countershaft gears constitute one group which is always rotating in a constant relation to engine speed while the gears usually fixed to the driven-shaft constitute a second group and always rotate-in constant rotation to vehicle speed. When a gear train is to be established between the two groups,

- it is seldom that the pitch line velocity of the gears to be meshed is the same.

The relative inertia of the parts connected with the two groups of gears is different andthe inertia of the two groups and the pitch line velocity of the gears .to be meshed must be equalized during 'the establishment of a driving relation. This equalization is usually established by physical eifort and under the circumstances undesirable eifortis required and there is ajclashin'g of the gearswhich is noisy and sometimes results inj deformation and breakage of the'gear teeth. Also the time' element sometimes required to mesh such gears results in an unduly long disconnected drive which sometimes results in accident because of lack of control.

By loosely mounting the gear 28 on the driven shaft instead of -xing it thereon, as is customary, a relatively vsmall inertia ymust be overcome in meshing it with either gear 23 or 29 to establish low or reverse driving connection with the driving shaft. While being driven by the idler or low speed gear., the endwise movement of gear 28 is continued to engage the splined portion 52 with the clutch teeth 50 or 5I on the driven shaft and this endwise engagement of the clutch elements distributes the shock load, caused by their engagement, equally around the driven shaft and shaft is somewhat previously described. This clutch element conthe shiftable gear instead of localizing it on one physical effort.l

In Fig. 4 shaft lo instead of having the two sets of clutch teeth 5U and 5|, as shown in Figs.

1 to 3 inclusive, has a helically splined portion 90, and the gear 28 instead of having a continuous internal splinedvsurface 52, as'sliown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, has two sets of spaced helical splines 9| and 92. Floating split bushings 93 surround shaft |6 intermediate the splined portion 90 and bearings 21 and I6, such bushings having peripheral helical teeth 94 the same as the previously described bushing 53. The splines 9| and 92 engage with the peripheral splines 94 on the bushings and split rings 95 vare arranged in grooves 96 in the bushings to retain them in position when the gear 28 is moved to a position near the splined portion of shaft4 I0. The splines 94 are arranged to align with the splines on the portion 96 of shaft ID and the bushings are of slightly less length than the distance between the shaft portion 96 and bearings |8 and 21 and they are free to float on shaft I0.

In moving gear 28 to establish low direct or reverse drive, the action is similar to that previously described. To establish low direct drive, gear 28 is shifted to the left or forwardly to engage gear 23 and further movement in this direction engages the clutch teeth 92 with the splined portion 90 on shaft I6. To establish reverse gear, the gear 28 is shifted to the right or rearwardly to engage gear 29 and ,further movementin this direction engages the clutch teeth 9| with the splined portion 90 on shaft I0.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I have illustrated another modified form of the invention. In this form of the invention the clutch elements 60 and 6| are applied to the driven shaft I instead of being formed thereon and are formed with interior splines which engage splines 62 formed on the driven shaft. 'Ihese clutch elements include peripheral teeth 63 and a. friction cone portion 6d extending from one side thereof.

The rotatable shiftable clutch device for engaging the idler 29 or the gear 23 on the counterdifferent in form than that sists of two sections 55 and 66 which are movable in an axial direction relatively and are connected by interengaging splines 61 and 68. The section 66 is provided with internal friction rings 69 for engagement with the friction cones 64. There are radial openings through the periphery of the inner section in which are balls 10 normally urged outwardly by coil springs 1|. The splines 61 overlying these ballsl are formed with a pair of recesses 12 so that the balls engaging in such recesses form a releasable connection tending to prevent relative axial movement of the sections 65 and 66. 'I'he outer section 65 is formed with a recess 3| into which a shifter fork extends in the same manner as set forth in the previous description, The periphery of the outer section 65 is formedwith helical teeth 13 for engagement with the helical teeth of gears 23 and 29.

In Fig. the mechanism is shown in a shifted relation wherein the clutch device is being moved to establish a reverse driving relation andy the teeth 13 are justcommencing to mesh with the idler 29. During such movement from a neutral position the sections65 and 66 are moved together because of the driving relation the balls 16 establish through their'engagementfwhile in the recesses 12. Continued movement of the device further meshes the teeth 13 with the idler 29 and also brings the friction ring 69 into engagement with the cone 64 on the clutch element 6|. This frictional engagement brings the 5 idler 29 and the clutch element 6| to the same speed so'that the splines 61 can engage with splines 63 of the clutch element 6| without clashing. After synchronizing takes place the further shifting of the movable clutch device overcomes the pressure exerted by the springs 1| against then the balls will be seated in the recesses 12 at the left or forward end of the clutch device as shown in Fig. 6 and the locking arrangement between the 20 sections 65 and 66 is again established so that the shiftable clutch device can be moved as a unit while being disengaged from the clutch element 6|. v y

An operation similar to that just described takesvplace when the movable clutch element is moved to engage the gear 23 and the clutch element 66 so that a description of this operation is not believed to be necessary to fully understand the functioning of the mechanism.

This clutch device with a synchronizing means or reverse drives but applies equally as well to high speed drives.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a specific embodiment, the principles involved are suse( ptible of numerous other applications which will readily occur to persons skilled in the art. 'Ihe invention is therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

an axially shiftable gear rotatably mounted on said driven shaft, clutch teeth fixed on said driven shaft adapted to be engaged by said slidable "shaft, said gear having internal helical clutch teeth adapted to engage said clutch teeth when shifted' axially on said driven shaft, a bushing 70 rotatable on said shaft having helical peripheral teeth engaged by the internal teeth of said slidable gear and a helical gear xed on said countershaft, said fixed gear being loca'ted in a relation to be engaged by said slidable helical gear prior to and during its engagement with said helical clutch splines on said driven shaft.

3. A transmission comprising a driven shaft, a driver shaft paralleling said driven shaft, clutch teeth on said driven shaft, a bushing on said driven shaft having peripheral teeth, a gear fixed on said driver shaft, and a gear rotatably mounted and slidable on said driven shaft and engageable with said gear iixed on said driver shaft, said slidable gear having internal splines engageable with said clutch teeth and said bushing teeth.

4. A transmission comprising adriving shaft, a

driven shaft, a countershaft, two sets of clutch teeth spaced axially lon said driven shaft, a bushing freely rotatable on said driven shaft between the sets of clutch teeth, said bushing having peripheral teeth, a low speed gear fixed on said oountershaft adjacent one of 'said sets of clutch teeth, a reverse gear fixed on said countershaft adjacent the other set of clutch teeth, an idler gear meshing with said reverse gear, and a gear rotatable and axially shiftable on said driven shaft, said gear being peripherally engageable with said low gear and said idler in its axial' movement and having spline means engageable with the teeth on said bushing and selectively engageable with either of said sets of clutch teeth on said countershaft.

5. In a transmission for motor vehicles, a driving shaft, a countershaft geared to said driving shaft, a driven shaft parallel with the countershaft, a gear driven by said cpuntershaft, a clutch element fixed on said driven shaft in line with said gear on the countershaft, a gearvrotatable and axially shiftable on said driven shaft, said rotatably mounted gear being engageable with the gear driven by said countershaft and having internal clutch teeth engageable with said clutch element, a bushing freely rotatable on said driven s from one side thereof, and clutch means .rotata able and slidable on said driven shaft, said clutch means having telescoping sections movable axially relatively, the inner'member having a friction surface for engaging the friction surface of said fixed clutch element and an outer section for `meshing peripherally with said gear driven by said countershaft, said clutch sections being connected by splines and the splines of said outer section being engageable with the teeth of said clutchelement fixed to said driven shaft.

7. In a transmission mechanism, the combination of' ,a shaft, a clutch meV 654tion on said shaft, said clutch member having vteeth extending across the'periphery thereof, a

. bushing freely mounted on saidshaft adjacent said fixed clutch member and having teeth extending across.. the periphery thereof similar to the teeth on saidelutch member and adapted to 'align therewith, and an .axially shiftable clutch member having internal teeth 'engageable with the peripheral teeth on said fixed clutch .member and on said bushing, saidv shiftable clutch member being axially movable .endwise entirely ber in vfixed relaacross said iixed clutch member during meshing relation therewith.

8. In a transmission mechanism, the combination of a shaft, a clutch member in fixed relation on said shaft, said member having teeth extending across the periphery thereof, a bushing freely mounted on said shaft adjacent said fixed clutch member and having teeth extending across the periphery thereof similar tov the teeth on said clutch member and adapted to align therewith, said bushing consisting of sections separated in an axial direction, and an axially shiftable clutch member having internal teeth engageable with the peripheral teeth on said fixed clutch member and on said bushing, said shiftable clutch member being axially movable endwise entirely across said fixed member during meshing engagement therewith to assemble or disassemble the same.

9. In a transmission mechanism, the combination of a shaft, a pair of similar spaced clutch members in fixed relation on said shaft, said clutch members having teeth extending across the periphery thereof, a bushing freely mounted on said shaft intermediate said xed clutch members and having peripheral teeth similar to the teeth on said clutch members and adapted t0 aligntherewith, said bushing consisting of sections separated in an axial direction, and an axially shiftable clutch member having internal teeth engageable with the peripheral teeth on said fixed clutch members and on said bushing,

said shiftable'clutch member being axially movvable endwise entirely across said fixed clutch members and said bushing during meshing en" gagement therewith for the purpose of assembly or disassembly.

10. In a transmission mechanism, the combi- 1 nation of a shaft, a clutch member in fixed relation on the shaft, said member having teeth extending across the periphery thereof, bushings freely mounted on said shaft adjacent each end of said clutch member and having peripheral teeth similar to the teeth on said clutch member and." adapted to align therewith,` said bushings consisting of sections divided in an axial direc- I tion, and an axially shiftable clutch member having internal teeth at each end'thereof engage-l able With the peripheral teeth on said xed clutch member and 'on said bushings, said shiftable` clutch member being. axially movable endwise entirely across said fixed clutch member and said bushings during meshing relation therewith to assemble. and disassemble the same.

l1. In a transmission mechanism comprising a shaft, a pair of similar clutch members fixed in spaced relation on said shaft, said lmembers having helical -peripheral teeth, an axially shiftable clutch member on said shaft intermediate said fixed clutch members, said shiftable clutch member having peripheral helical teeth and internal helical splines, said internal splines extending the entire width of said shiftable clutch member and adapted to mesh with the teeth of said fixed clutch members, a bushing rotatably mounted' on saidnshaft intermediate said fixed clutch members, ,said bushing having external'helical teeth; meshing with` the internal splines of vsaid shiftable clutch member being axially movable ed to align therewith, said bushing consisting of sections divided in an 

